Chapter 45
I thought I had done well.
Perfection was my goal,
My methods absolute,
My power without boundary,
My plan unbreakable.
Time stemmed from my soul
precisely as I had intended it,
Its fabric seamless,
Its flow unending.
To celebrate my power,
To remind the mortal creatures
of the one who had crafted the time stream…
Of the one who managed and directed
the great flow of causality
through which all things came to be,
I built a monument to myself.
A mighty tower
Visible from the realm of the mortals
Yet unbound by time or space
A mighty tower which pierced the sky
breaking the membrane between the physical realm
And the endless hall of origin…
And upon this tower, I perched,
Watching the growth of creation
Watching the cycle of generations
The beautiful, elegant haven we had created,
My brothers and I,
For creatures who could not fathom
The divine designs we had implemented…
I thought… I had done well.
Little did I know
my designs could be unraveled
My cherished time stream
could be infected, infested…
Destroyed…
And that even the designs of a god
could be outsmarted.
And here, as I watch you,
So close, yet so far away…
Powerless to aid you…
Powerless to intervene…
Powerless to use the talents
which had been my birthright…
I know now what it is like
to watch the work of a god
come crashing down…
The haunting beauty of Temporal Tower was unmasked, and the persevering group of Pokémon paused to behold it.
There was no doubt in anyone's heart that a god had crafted this tower; its fabric emanated a soul, contained a level of perfection and symmetry that no Pokémon of Ambera could have attained. Just one floor of the majestic monument appeared as a stories-high cathedral. Sculptures and structures made of glossy gemstones and precious metals surrounded the awestruck Pokémon as natural light streamed in from the lofty, arch-shaped windows.
To Char, it wasn't only a comforting feeling, but an enthralling one, knowing that he had left behind all of the dark, twisted dungeons which the Watchers had supposedly concocted for them. Now, he had entered the true jurisdiction of Dialga, the creator of time itself. Excitement and nervousness welled up within him, knowing that the glorious blue dragon stood waiting for them somewhere just above their heads.
The clack-clacking of Pokémon claws once again sounded as the six treaded across the unblemished floor, their gazes turned ever upward at the spacious dome above.
"This is impressive, but don't let your guard down," Prince spoke out, his voice echoing through the stunning chamber. "This is still a Mystery Dungeon, do not forget…"
"…Doesn't look like one to me," Char replied absentmindedly. "Are you sure?"
"Temporal Tower has always been a Mystery Dungeon, and always will be, as far as I know," Prince answered. "That is, if the accounts of previous explorers are to be trusted. Here, I know how we can know for sure."
Prince reached into the bag upon Scythe's shoulder, Alakazam's bag, and felt around for the magical orbs.
"Indeed, the Escape Orbs still report that they are ready for use," he said, "and those rely on the spatial anomaly of the dungeon. There is your answer; we are still bound by a Mystery Dungeon, although it appears the distortion has become so weak that we can see the tower's true nature straight through it."
Clang. Scythe struck the ground with a blade, breaking everyone out of the dazed stupor.
"If that is the case, wild Pokémon may still lurk here," noted the vigilant Scyther. "Let us not stand still and wait for them to come. We are not tourists here; we are here for a purpose. Return to the formation and get to the staircase."
It was an easy feat; the staircase was in plain sight, and nothing stood in the way…
But just as Char was about to follow his friends up the staircase to Temporal Tower's tenth floor, he felt a sharp, sudden pull on his shoulder, accompanied by a hissing whisper that was spoken so quietly it could have been mistaken for a voice in his mind.
"Char. Hold on a sec."
He hesitated, silently regained his balance, and watched as Scythe passed him right by, abandoning his position as the rear guard of the formation and paying him no attention.
"Uh…" Char started, trying to swivel around to see what was going on. But the grip on his shoulder held him firmly, an unspoken order not to move.
"Quiet," the voice said again. "Just wait."
He watched as Prince, Saura, and Lily unknowingly left him behind on the ninth floor, disappearing up the staircase. He watched as Scythe followed them, not even taking a moment to give a passing glance.
"Okay," said the familiar voice. "I think we're good…"
As soon as the grip released him, Char spun around to see that Ray had been holding him captive.
"What's going on?" Char demanded, growing just a bit nervous. "We have to stay together on staircases. This is still a Mystery Dungeon, you know. If they get to the next floor soon, we might get completely separated from them!"
"That's why I have to make this quick," Ray said, glancing around for signs of danger or eavesdroppers. "Okay, here's the deal. Scythe wanted me to tell you something, but he doesn't want Prince or Lily to know I told you. It… has to do with what he's planning, apparently."
Char felt a sudden rush of adrenaline. He had completely forgotten about Scythe's "plan", whatever it was, during all the intense dungeon crawling they had endured. But upon remembering, his resolution had come back to him just as strongly: he trusted Scythe, and would help him carry out his plan, whatever it was. Anything less would risk projecting his insecurity into the Scyther's mind, which might just risk everyone else's lives.
Char nodded. He was ready. Even if it meant fighting his teammates, he would do it.
"Go on," he said.
"Scythe is going to give you an order soon," Ray told him. "I don't know what that order is going to be, he didn't tell me… but he says it's something that's going to surprise you and might even be hard to accept. But he says that you're only going to have a very small window of opportunity to do it, so you can't hesitate or question him. Got it?"
Char nodded, trying but failing to squelch the new inklings of worry he felt. "Got it… just do what he says, and don't ask questions. Um… how am I going to know? Is there going to be some kind of signal?"
"Uh… no, I don't think so," Ray replied oddly. "I think he's just going to tell it to you when the time is right. He says it has to be done before we meet Dialga."
That's pretty soon, Char realized, especially if the rest of the floors are going to be empty like this…
Char clenched his fists. "Alright, I'll do it," he decided. "I'll prepare for the worst. I just hope it's not something too drastic…"
"Well, it kinda, uh, sounded like it was drastic, to be honest," Ray said awkwardly, "But…"
The Raichu's tone changed.
"Hey," he said, holding a paw to his heart and offering a small bow. "I'm here to help, alright? Whatever side you take, I'm going to be fighting on that side, alright? I'd even knock out Scythe for you if I had to. You're not alone. That's a promise."
The Raichu offered his paw.
Char looked him in the eye.
"Thanks," Char replied earnestly, obliging the handshake. "It means a lot to me."
The two Pokémon shared a smile.
"Are you ready for this, Char?" Ray asked.
"For what?"
"For the top of the tower? Are you ready to meet Dialga? Ask him who you really are?"
"…No," Char admitted, scratching his head. "Actually, I think I'm terrified. With all of those dungeons we just got through, I completely forgot to start mentally preparing myself."
"Yeah, me too. But hey, we're probably running out of time," Ray noted, tearing away from the handshake and bounding up the stairs. "Let's go fast. Let's tell them you tripped on the stairs and I went back to help you."
Dropping to all fours, Char scurried after him. As he began ascending the curved flight of stairs, the thought crossed his mind that, among all five of his teammates, Ray was the only one he knew he could trust unconditionally. His relationships to each of the other four all hung in the balance of some type of turmoil. Ray's gesture of support, as small as it was, helped to console him far more than Ray would have guessed.
Temporal Tower 10F
The stairs leading to the next floor were very numerous, winding around the outer circumference of the tower. As Char bolted up the staircase with his friend, he resisted the urge to climb up the ridged walls and peer out of the tiny windows, to see if Zerferia still appeared somewhere down below.
At the end of the long, long staircase, Char found the team waiting for him at the beginning of the next floor. For a second time, Char was struck with the glorious beauty of the temple he trespassed upon. The architecture of the divine building demanded reverence and attention; it was very difficult to take his eyes from its splendor. However, to Char's surprise, the floor had a slightly different appearance than the previous one: the looping, spiraling designs on the dome-shaped ceiling portrayed a different design, one that looked like pedals of an electrified flower, and there were more pillars. Char wondered if every single floor had a different design.
"Oh, there you are," Lily said with relief. "We were afraid you fell out of the tower or something."
"Char tripped on the stairs," Scythe lied. "I have little means of helping up a fallen Pokémon, so I sent Ray back to help him."
"I see," Prince said. "Char, don't try walking up stairs on two feet. Always climb stairs on all fours and you will not trip."
I know that, Char thought annoyed, but understood that he was creating a ruse so he feigned humility and gave Prince an affirmative nod in reply.
"The stairs are still there," Ray noted suddenly, looking over his shoulder. "That doesn't usually happen in a Mystery Dungeon…"
"You're right; it does not," Prince considered. "That's… quite interesting. The spatial anomaly must be extremely weak here. I wonder if we could go back down the stairs to the previous floor if we needed."
"Formations. Now. Walk." Scythe ordered, prodding the team members with his blades and shooing everyone together. "Get moving."
"Scythe," Prince suddenly said. "Perhaps you should take the head of the line now."
Scythe squinted at the Infernape. "Why do you think that?"
"Well, Char obviously has trouble climbing staircases, and we have many more to climb. I would like it if a Pokémon with hands were there to keep an eye on him," Prince said in an almost threatening tone.
Char frowned. Do you have any idea how many flights of stairs I had to climb every day in the Gold Division? he wanted to say. I do not have trouble climbing staircases. Couldn't we have picked a better lie?
"Let me walk behind him," Prince reasoned. "And since you're always so eager to move forward, we'll all follow you for a change. With the alternate realities gone, so the rear guard has less to watch out for."
Scythe seemed very displeased at the proposal, but Char knew he could not betray too much of his aggravation or Prince would begin to suspect something. Char wondered if Prince already had begun to suspect something.
"Fine. Go," Scythe grunted, angrily swiping a blade through the air. "I'm nearing the end of my energy. I will not waste any more of it arguing with you..."
Char exchanged a worried glance with Ray as the two leaders switched places, and the team was on their way once more. The staircase was, again, in plain sight on the far side of the room, requiring nothing more than a linear march through the center of the grandiose chamber.
Char was loathe to walk past the wonders which filled Temporal Tower without properly stopping to appreciate them, but Scythe kept up a speedy, determined pace and he knew he couldn't hold the group back. As they passed by each pillar, he noticed a matrix of figures and unidentifiable runes engraved on their surfaces, and some protruded miniature golden statues of Pokémon he had never known existed. One in particular appeared as a Mew, but had two tentacles trailing from its form instead of a tail. Another appeared as a giant, dark snake-dragon which encircled a spherical object he assumed represented the world.
Scythe abruptly stopped walking, and Char, having paid most of his attention to the stone mosaic, hit his forehead on the Scyther's left leg.
"Vibrations…" he hissed. "Something might be coming."
"It felt as though it was coming from a floor above," Prince added. "Perhaps Dialga is impatiently pacing at the summit, waiting for us."
Scythe turned his gaze upward. "We can hope," he said. "There might also be wild Pokémon patrolling the floor above. We should be prepared for battle. I hope they are nothing more than the Salamence, Lunatone, and Metagross we had come prepared for in the first place."
Warily, Scythe stepped onto the first stair of the fight leading to the eleventh floor.
"Ray, do you have any cross-eye seeds in that bag of yours?" Prince inquired as he ushered the group on to the staircase.
"Um… I don't think so," Ray replied. "We have a few different kinds of seeds in ours, but not one of those. I think there are some in Scythe's bag, though."
"Could you fetch one for me, please? I would like to have one ready in case we battle. There are some particular circumstances where they are useful."
Ray shrugged. "Alright," he replied, stepping around Char and preparing to get Scythe's attention. Char exchanged a glance at him.
Before Char knew what was happening, he felt a strong hand grasp him by the tail and pull him backward. He gave a startled yelp…
… and suddenly, the rest of the group was gone. Simply gone. They had disappeared into thin air right before his eyes.
Thump. The hand dropped him headfirst onto Temporal Tower's cobbled floor.
From his upside-down perspective, he realized Prince was standing over him.
"Prince-!" cried Char, astonished. "What was that for?"
"I'm sorry," Prince replied, reaching down to help the Charmander to his feet. "I wanted a moment alone with you. When you tripped on that last staircase, it gave me an idea. I realized that none of us could hear you or see you until you rejoined us. It seems there are still powerful boundaries between floors. So I came up with the idea that if I could get the rest of the team beyond the boundary, while you and I stay on the previous floor, the others couldn't come back to get us and we could have some privacy."
"That's why you wanted to walk behind me," Char realized, growing a bit frustrated. "You realize you could separate the team like this? You're taking this risk?"
"Char, I've crawled hundreds of dungeons in my time," Prince returned, kneeling down to look the Charmander in the eye. "I have a firm grasp on the mechanics of dungeons. I understand how the boundaries between floors work. I wouldn't take a risk like this if I didn't understand what is involved. Trust me."
Despite the Infernape's humbled demeanor, Char scowled. "Alright, fine. Fine," he grumbled. "What do you want to say? What's so important that you can't let anyone else hear it?"
"Well, this is a bit difficult for me to say," Prince began, "but lately, I… fear for your safety. And it's not due to the hazards of this tower. It's…"
"Scythe?" Char guessed, feeling his throat clench again.
"Yes," he replied, his tone darkening. "I… I can see it in his eyes, and in the way he moves. He's preparing for something… something he's been keeping a secret since the day we set off from Fort Emerald. In reality, I fear for the safety of everyone in this tower, but my greatest responsibility is to you and Lily. Most of all to you."
Char bit his tongue. Hesitating, he opened his feelings to the Infernape.
"What… do you think he's going to do?"
"I have not a clue," Prince admitted. "Worst case, it could involve slaughtering you. Next worst case, the Master and his army might be positioned at the bottom of the tower when we disembark from this place, ready to snatch you up. I honestly cannot tell. The most painful part is that he refuses to even speak of his plan to anyone. He knows and trusts me, yet he refuses to let me in on the plan. This gives me the impression that it is something dangerous, foolish, or perhaps even evil. And I am worried to the core for you."
"You… really think he would do something like that?" Char replied, welling with nervousness. "Why? W-what makes you think that? What reason would Scythe have to betray us? Scythe isn't evil! Why would Scythe do something evil?"
"Do you know who Adron the Terrible is, Char?"
"Adron the Terrible?" Char echoed. "No…?"
"Adron the Terrible was a Scyther who once worked for the Master," Prince replied. "Was, in fact, one of the most notorious generals the Master had at his side. Slaughtered tens of thousands of innocent Amberans and never blinked an eye. Even today, the name is spoken with fear and reverence. Now… not a lot of people know this, especially not the members of the Gold Division, but Adron the Terrible died one day, and in his place, another Scyther was born. A Scyther who hated the Master and everything he stood for. Showed up at the gates of the Gold Division, desiring nothing more than to orchestrate the Master's fall. Or… so Scythe would have you think."
Char let it sink in for a minute.
"I know Scythe worked for the Master once," he replied. "He told us that…"
"He didn't just work for the Master, Char," Prince said gravely. "He was one with the Master. His name was synonymous with the terror and destruction which flowed from the Master's ranks. He was the best of the worst, Char. And you may hear about many celebrities among the Master's ranks today, names that strike fear into your heart. Adiel, Enigma, Cepheus, Mirandalys… none of them held a candle-flame to Adron the Terrible during his reign. He tells nearly every Pokémon he works with that he once served the Master. He tells only his closest and most trusted friends that he and Adron the Terrible are one in the same."
Char swallowed hard.
"Now, I earnestly believe people can change," Prince continued. "Even knowing where he came from, I was his confidant and ally for over a decade, and I did not regret it for a minute. I trusted him as closely as a soul could trust another. Being at the Emerald Division, I dearly miss his help and his company. He did not have to convince me his heart had changed—he showed it in everything he did. According to him, he changed his heart years before he cut the strings and escaped from the servitude of the Master. Ever since, his passion and focus against the Master have been rivaled by few. Make no mistake, Scythe is a good and trustworthy Pokémon."
"Then… what reason… do we have to worry?" Char asked weakly.
"Because," Prince replied, "I have never seen him so destroyed, Char. Never in my life have I seen him so crushed and world-weary. We cannot… discount the possibility… that Scythe might be losing the fight. And if he falls… Adron the Terrible could rise again in his place. He might regress."
No…
That can't happen.
"That's not going to happen!" Char almost yelled. "Scythe likes me! He knows I'm a human and he serves me like one! Everything he's doing, he's doing for me! He said so!"
"Believe what you like, Char, but you have known him for how long? About a month?" Prince replied. "I have known him for decades. I know the meaning behind how he acts and what he says in a way that you cannot fathom. Just like how I cannot fathom how you and Saura understand one another so well. I know him. And what I'm saying is, you need to trust me when I tell you that Scythe… might soon become a danger to you."
It was worse than Char feared.
Char did not have to question what Prince said. He knew it all to be true. It made too much sense. Even he, himself, had felt that inkling of distrust to his mentor for the entirety of the journey…
But no! No! He could not distrust Scythe! Not now! Not at the focal point of the journey! With the Call, he could not stand to project such a powerful, almost perfect fear of the Scyther into his already-unstable mind. He knew he would cause such a horrifying thing to happen if he did. It would be a self-fulfilling prophecy.
"I believe, Char, we have until we exit this tower to think of something," Prince said. "I have reason to believe that is when he will strike, or when he will put his plan into motion, whatever it is."
"Okay," Char said, breathing deeply and trying to keep his ember from boiling over. "What do we do?"
"I am formulating a plan," Prince said. "I think I know how I can get Scythe to at least tell us what he has in mind. After all, maybe I am blowing it out of proportion. There's no way to tell until we know what's going to happen. So, I figure that—"
The ground shook.
Instinctively, Prince snatched Char into his arms. He glanced around for a sign of danger. But what he saw was the very last thing he expected…
"Char…" Prince reported, "I… think I have some bad news."
"What is it?" Char demanded, unable to see much from his cramped position against the Infernape's chest.
"Temporal Tower… has… vanished again."
"Huh?"
"The… Mystery Dungeon has returned. Char… we're lost."
… … …
Char pressed against Prince's hold, and Prince did not deter him. Landing on all fours, he looked around and beheld yet another magnificently dangerous and deadly incarnation of the Mystery Dungeon curse, a curse he thought had been put behind him for good.
The two Pokémon stood amidst a burning city.
Towering skyscrapers surrounded them, all ablaze with a magnificent inferno. Flames licked the structures from top to bottom, some with brick walls mostly intact, others left teetering on nothing but steel support beams that flared like logs in a campfire. Underfoot, the ground was a disastrous heap of broken bricks, chunks of cement, and twisted metal, all lined with a heavy ashen blanket.
Char panicked.
"We're lost," Char said loudly, over the continual roar of the flames. "Prince! You got us separated from the group. We're on our own! Prince! How could you let this happen? We lost them! They're going to die without our help! Or we might die! I thought you said you understood the risk!"
"Calm yourself," Prince grunted. "Quiet. Let me think."
"You'd better think harder than you did when you decided to let us get separated again," Char growled.
"Char, enough," Prince growled back. "I'm not happy this has happened, either. But separated or not, if there is a relay point on floor thirteen as I suspected earlier, we will see them again soon. We are only two floors away."
"And what if there's no relay point?" Char cried. "What then, Prince? They have all the items. We have no reviver seeds! No orbs! We have nothing! Prince, the dungeon did this to us! On purpose! It wanted to separate us just like Saura said, and it did. Now it can eat us alive! It tricked us by making us think these horrible worlds were all gone, and now it separated us! Prince…"
"Prince…?"
Prince did not seem to be listening to Char's worries. Instead, something had caught his attention. He seemed suddenly fascinated with one of the nearby buildings, perhaps involuntarily so.
"What do you see?" Char wondered.
Prince was silent for a moment. He did not move; he only fixated on a nearby brick building that was nestled snuggly between two of the burning towers. Within the inferno, it looked more like a smelting oven or a fireplace than a building of residence. It was the only building in sight that appeared to be fully intact, with no crumbling or missing walls.
"Hmm," Prince said, a bit absentmindedly, "Do you ever have the sensation that… you've suddenly recalled a forgotten memory, only… you're not sure whether it was a dream, or if it was real?"
"Quite a lot, actually," Char responded, climbing up a nearby junk heap to get a better view of the cityscape. "Why?"
Prince didn't reply this time. He started to take a step in the direction of the brick building, but stopped himself.
"I'm sorry, Char," Prince suddenly said, rubbing his eyes. "I'm letting the dungeon get into my mind. Let's try and find the staircase…"
… … …
The two wayward Pokémon began to navigate the burning city, carefully crawling across the rubble-strewn streets and collapsed alleyways. Char found this to be one of the more exciting floors to explore; he had no trouble breathing, although he couldn't quite understand why, as he could not imagine that a single speck of oxygen survived at the base of the inferno where they walked. The skyscrapers themselves seemed oddly stable; not one of them collapsed or even so much as dropped a piece of debris upon their heads. He hoped, however, that he would not suddenly feel that sickening pop in his head and lose all feeling in his body, meaning that his skin could no longer withstand the heat and he was about to get burned.
"Interesting place," Prince said as he guided Char through what appeared to be the city's main street. "If I didn't know better, I'd say that the tower has forgotten how to torture us and instead wanted to send us to paradise for fire Pokémon. I would almost call this relaxing."
"Heh… almost," Char said with a nervous laugh, as he didn't completely agree. He didn't quite enjoy the sight of the sky above the rooftops, where the time of day was entirely irrelevant. Instead, all that could be seen was a thick, eternal cloud of pitch-black smoke, though in some places it reflected the orange glow of the city's firelight like a twisted, unnatural sunset.
"It's amazing we can actually breathe in here," he added.
"Not too amazing, considering that we are both fire Pokémon," Prince replied. "Fire Pokémon have a small sack attached to the back of the lungs which gathers and stores oxygen as you breathe, and compresses it so tightly that it becomes a tiny chunk of solid matter. Most of the time, it helps to feed your internal flame, but sometimes if you are trapped without air, such as in the midst of fire, it will give you oxygen to survive for quite a while, sometimes for months depending on what kind of Pokémon you are. It might seem as though you are inhaling as normal right now, but in reality your diaphragm is pumping the reserve supply of oxygen through your respiratory system."
"Does that mean fire Pokémon can breathe anywhere there is no air?" Char wondered, recalling very clearly times when he had felt short of breath.
"No, sadly," Prince answered, kicking a piece of rock out of his path. "For some reason, the body will only draw from its reserve supply under conditions of extreme heat. It is probably an evolutionary device to discourage fire Pokémon from trying to swim, or suffocating in deep caves, which will kill us for other reasons besides lack of air. That is, in contrast to most rock-type Pokémon who do not even breathe at all…"
"Hey, Prince," Char said offhandedly, climbing over a pile of bricks that was in his way. "Thanks for helping teach me how to be a fire Pokémon…"
"It is nothing," Prince returned, rubbing his head in shame. "Thank you for listening to the ramblings of a naïve old ape, and I'm sorry for getting you stuck in the dungeon again. And for triggering the avalanche that trapped us. And for falling into the warp trap. I'm sorry… it seems I just cannot stop making mistakes nowadays."
"Everyone makes mistakes", Char told him. "I'm just happy you came. If you would have let me go with Scythe, we would have been dead by now. I know you're just trying to watch out for us."
Prince grunted in reply, and said no more. He seemed distracted.
"Hey, Prince?" Char said again.
"What?"
"Do you really think Scythe isn't trustworthy?"
"I do not know for sure, Char," Prince said. "I only know that it is a possibility, and I err on the side of caution. Understand, if Scythe does something brash, there are not many Pokémon who can stand up to him. He is more of a deadly and destructive force than I ever was… I merely want to know what he is up to, so I can make my judgment then."
"But…" Char said, a bit hesitantly, "What if trying to find out what his plan is will ruin it?"
"That is precisely why I am worried," the Infernape returned, frustration growing in his voice. "Plans which rely on the element of surprise from close friends are usually plans of betrayal, or at least related to betrayal. I have every reason to believe his plan involves you in some way."
"It does involve me."
Prince stopped in his tracks. He looked at Char with disbelief.
"You mean, you know what he wants to do?" Prince demanded, holding back his shock.
"No, he didn't," Char said. "He never told me his plan. But he told me once that it involves me. He told me because I kinda demanded it at the time. But yeah. I don't know what he means by it."
Prince's mouth hung open for a moment.
He closed his eyes, looking pained. His hands closed into loose fists.
"Well, that is especially promising news, you know that?" he said with a defeated-sounding sigh.
He knelt down in front of Char, sharing his eye-level. He put a hand on Char's shoulder; a distinctively human gesture of fidelity.
"I will stop him," Prince said solemnly, resolutely. "If he intends to hurt you, Char, mark my words: I will stop him. By the blazes, Char, I have seen too much betrayal and senseless slaughter in my time; if I have one dying wish, it is to keep our last remaining hope against the Master safe from the misaimed actions one lunatic Scyther… I will find him. I will strangle his secret from his throat, and if he intends to harm you, I will fight until he is no longer a threat, or until I can no longer move. Let this be my last will and testament."
Char stared into his eyes, not really knowing what to say. The Infernape's flame burned brightly with his steadfast will, and the fire of the burning city reflected upon his eyes…
"Alright…" Char finally said in reply. "But, Prince… I still don't know about this. He might not mean any harm… Part of me still wants to trust him."
"It is possible he means no harm, but will cause it anyway," Prince replied. "Believe me, Scythe's judgment is not always flawless. On the contrary, he… has been known to make rash, illogical decisions that have no means to work. That's why he always has Daemon constantly at his side to beat some sense into him when he starts to disconnect from reality. That hellhound has a way of getting into his mind and making him see the truth of the matter, something I really could never do…"
And Daemon isn't here, Char realized. Scythe hasn't spoken with Daemon in a long time… if Scythe really is going to do something crazy, there's no one here to really help him!
What if… what if I shouldn't trust him after all?
What if Scythe really is the one who has to be stopped?
I just…
I don't know anymore.
I just don't know…
"But believe me, Char, when I say that I've seen far too much betrayal, too much senseless slaughter in my time, to stand for it," Prince growled with conviction, standing to his full height and motioning to Char to follow. "I've watched entire cities… burn…"
He glanced oddly at his surroundings, as if recognizing them from somewhere. He seemed to lose his train of thought after a few moments, and simply continued down the path. Char followed.
… … …
The two of them navigated the ruined city streets, crawling over and through the rubble wherever they could find a way forward. Thankfully, no wild Pokémon showed their faces. Char wondered if it was because any Pokémon would have been burned alive in the fire.
At one point, the piles of rubble seemed to end, leaving a clear path down the central city street, as well as a greater view of what lay beyond. The city looked intricate and advanced; Char recognized many structures along the sides of the road as shops, warehouses, and factories which closely resembled those in Iron Town. He wondered if it would be worth it to scour the half-destroyed buildings for loose items, but worried that the Watchers had set up traps or enemy Pokémon waiting for them.
"I wonder if this city was struck by the meteor shower from a few floors ago," Prince said.
"Actually, it reminds me of something else," Char returned. "It reminds me of… what you said about fire Pokémon earlier. You know, that their purpose in life is supposedly to burn down the world to make room for the future. This place looks like… a place where fire Pokémon have had their way."
Prince crouched down, brushing a finger lightly against the cement-paved road.
"But see, the thing is…" Prince said, almost trailing off. "This city… strikes a chord with me, in a way. There are many minor details – the shape of a doorway, the size of a house or a streetlamp – Nothing I can distinctly remember, you see, but I wonder…"
He stood up, brushing the dust from his hand and gazing intently down the road to the city's center.
"You've been here before?" Char finished his thought. "You think the Watchers pulled this city out of your memories?"
Prince did not respond. Silently, he stepped forward and gazed at a singular building which loomed above them.
They had arrived at the center of the forsaken city. At its heart, encircled in a grand avenue which branched off into many roads leading in each direction, there stood a plain rectangular building. Its walls were high and flat, built more for defense than decoration, and a simple flight of stairs led to the front entryway.
"Yes," Prince said simply. "Yes, I know this place."
Char followed Prince's gaze. Standing in the building's doorway, there stood a small, humanoid silhouette adorned by flames.
"Rayquaza's Clutch," Prince said. "Amidst the snow and perpetual winter of northern Ambera, it is a building I watched burn to the ground, along with its surrounding city… Though this city looks nothing like it did from my memories, this particular building is one I will never forget. This is… a place I once fought for… And failed to protect… Well, according to some. To others, I was a hero who saved half of the people who dwelled in this city…"
Char kept an eye fixated on the strange Pokémon in the doorway, wondering how it was not burning alive.
"Prince, you can't let the dungeon get to your head," Char reminded him. "Remember, the Watchers are doing this to us. That Pokémon up there is probably a Watcher too, just like that Flareon was last floor. You can't let your guard down."
Prince suddenly laughed. "The Watchers have failed to take into account the fact that I have put my past behind me," he said confidently. "Do I regret what I have lost? There is not a living Pokémon who does not. But it does not haunt me. Let's go, Char. These smoke and mirrors mean nothing to me. Let us look for the staircase within Rayquaza's Clutch."
"What about that thing?" Char said again, pointing nervously to the enemy Pokémon. "What is that?"
"That… is Sicarius, the Lucario responsible for dooming this place," Prince shrugged. "He also means nothing to me. Come, let us defeat him together."
Side-by-side, the Charmander and the Infernape climbed the stone stairs and approached the diminutive figure standing in the way. The figure did not appear to move or even take notice of their presence.
"He is out of his element, here," Prince spoke to Char. "I will engage him. Stay back and blast him with whatever projectile fire attacks you know how to create."
"Got it," Char said, preparing himself for battle and wondering whether or not the Lucario would pose any threat.
Prince stepped ahead, closing the distance between himself and the lone, still figure who filled the doorway of Rayquaza's Clutch…
Char tensed the muscles in his limbs and let a fireball swell in his throat as Prince stepped onto the third stair from the top… and then the second… and then the first…
The Lucario erupted in an aura of dark blue flame. Mysterious blades extended from its paws, and it assaulted Prince in a deft, unexpected motion. Prince blocked the attack and leapt away from another.
Char loosed a fireball at the assailant, not worrying about trying to miss Prince. The attack hit the Lucario in the Chest, but did not seem to faze him.
The Lucario was very swift and deadly, nearly matching Prince in prowess and being twice as hard to hit. Remaining silent, it lunged toward the Infernape as fast as a Scyther to impale him in the neck. Prince ducked and countered with a solid punch to the gut, but the enemy turned, swiping its strange glowing blades around its back and almost connecting with Prince's side.
Fwoosh! Char let loose another fireball, a bigger one this time, and timed it more carefully. It hit the enemy in the face and fazed it for a split second.
Prince launched himself into the air, jumping out of range as the Lucario swiped its blades. The Infernape planted his feet onto the face of the fort's wall, then reflected his angle of attack at the place he guessed the Lucario would dodge.
The evil, dark-furred beast dodged right where he predicted, and would have dodged a second time if it hadn't been for a headbutt to the legs by the Charmander he had not viewed as a threat.
Prince's attack connected, and very powerfully. Sicarius was sent tumbling down the stairs and collapsed onto the cement below. Before he could twitch, Prince leapt down the entire flight of stairs, landing directly on top of him with a hand upon the Lucario's throat. He reared back a fiery fist…
"Heheh…"
To Char's surprise, the dark-furred Lucario, assumed to be nothing more than a Watcher, spoke…
"Heh… heheh… I… I do not remember…"
Char's heart was gripped with fear. It was the same voice that the corrupted visage of Saura had spoken with in his nightmare…
"I do not remember my past," the Lucario said to the angry Infernape. "…Do you remember yours?"
The Lucario burst out laughing for only a moment before Prince slammed his fist down, mutilating its face and ending its life. Char had to avert his gaze from the brutality of the attack.
In a few moments, Prince had returned to Char's side, and the two of them entered Rayquaza's Clutch.
"I've never heard a Watcher speak before," Prince admitted. "That was a bit unnerving."
"I have," Char told him. "They're just trying to confuse us. We have to get out of here before it starts to work."
"Yes," Prince said. "Come, I know these halls all too well… I know where the staircase would be if it were here…"
The Rayquaza's Clutch was like a broiler; the floor radiated such incredible heat that Char knew any Pokémon – that is, any Pokémon besides a Watcher pretending to be a Lucario – would have shriveled and died at a single contact. Even he was beginning to feel worried that his tolerance to heat was about to fail him as he and Prince rounded corners and rushed through the obscure doorways of the fortress.
Finally, the two emerged into the courtyard, and the stairs were neatly positioned in the middle. Char gazed in awe as he watched the upward waterfall of endless smoke flow over the lip of the roof and escape into the invisible sky. Then, he joined Prince on the staircase and didn't look back.
Temporal Tower 11F
The smell of heavy smoke, the blasting of heat and the continual roar of a wildfire did not disappear when Char stepped foot onto the eleventh floor.
The two fiery Pokémon stood in an outdoors environment once again, this time it was one not populated with looming buildings and rubble-strewn roads. In comparison, this place felt less constraining…
Before their eyes, there stood a humble Pokémon village. It was built using wood and dry straw, and contained many simple, one-room abodes. Most were compiled in ways that no human would think to design a house, typical of Pokémon architecture.
However, like the city on the previous floor, it was perpetually burning.
The combined flames from the rooftops created a much smaller flare than the city did, one that didn't nearly block out the sky. The night had fallen on this floor of the dungeon, and with the exception of the pillar of ash, the clear sky was dotted beautifully with stars. There did not seem to be any Watchers in sight, either.
"And to think the Watchers could have sent us to an ocean, or an icy abyss," Prince mused. "Someone should tell them that our kind enjoys a good wildfire every once in a while."
Don't give them any ideas, Char thought quietly.
Prince stepped within the flimsy village walls and began to inspect the place. The structures were all made of materials that should have been shriveled to ash in mere seconds, yet the walls never collapsed and the fire never died. It was like an endless torch, a sacrificial flame to the gods above…
As suspected, the village was empty. The doors were shut tight, presumably trapping any inhabitants inside to be cooked to a char. The village square was devoid of life as well, with only one small water-well in the middle of the clearing to break up the monotony. Even that was on fire.
"Any place you recognize, Char?" Prince inquired. "I cannot say this is any village I've visited…"
Char tried to remember. He had seen a few places like this. Some of the buildings in Sitrus City looked similar, but this was far too small.
"No," Char responded, peering at the well and wondering if the staircase was somehow at the bottom of it. "Not unless this is a place in the past or the future. Hey, should we check down this well? It—"
"Sssh."
Char closed his mouth immediately and tensed, taking his attention from the burning well and glancing over at Prince. He waved to him, a signal to not move any closer.
It took Char a moment to realize Prince was at a standoff with another enemy. This one was a blue, hard-headed creature who stood on two legs. A Rampardos, he remembered. He had seen a few before, one as a member of the Gold Division, and another working with the Emerald Division. He did not recognize this particular one. Though they stood far apart on separate sides of the village square, their attentions were clearly upon one another.
"Prince!" Char hissed. "Prince, it can't hurt us. At least not much. Its body is made of rocks, and you still have the Frozen Flame."
"I know…" Prince responded dismissively, not taking his eyes from the creature.
"Prince? What's wrong?" Char asked, sensing the hesitance in the Infernape's motions.
"Who… are you?" Prince wondered, speaking in the direction of the Rampardos but not calling out to it. "Char, I… Do you remember, on the last floor, when I began to have inklings that I recognized the city? I am… having the same feeling right now, only… it is stronger."
"Do you know that Pokémon?" Char asked.
"No…" Prince replied, taking a wary step in the creature's direction. "But if that's the case… why does it seem so… familiar?"
A minute passed, but neither Prince nor the dinosaur Pokémon made a move. Char started to get anxious. He did not understand what Prince was waiting for…
"Char," Prince said suddenly. "Wait here. I have something I need to do."
"Wait!" Char cried.
But it was too late; Prince had taken a single step in the dinosaur's direction, causing it to turn tail and flee between two of the fire-encased straw huts. Prince dropped to all fours and sprinted towards it.
Char followed as close behind as he could manage. He knew exactly what was going on; Prince was caught up in the Watchers' rapture, their lies; just as what had happened with everyone else on the team. And without anyone else to help, Char knew he was the only one who could break the spell before Prince did something foolish.
"Prince, stop!" Char called. "Prince! Prince! Where are you going? You said you would protect me, remember? You promised!"
Thankfully, that did it. Just before Prince was about to turn a corner and disappear behind a house, he paused and turned around.
"Char… you don't understand," Prince told him. "Char, this… this means something, and I have to… I have to know… what it is…"
"No, you don't," Char said firmly. "Prince, this place isn't real. WE are real. Whatever that Rampardos was, whoever it was, it doesn't matter. We need to get out of this place and meet with the others."
Prince looked distraught. Angrily, he forced a fist through the wall of fire and into the straw house which he stood beside. The straw collapsed easily and his arm went straight through.
"What if this is the only chance I have to know who that was?" Prince grunted in frustration.
"It's not," Char insisted. "I said the same thing when I went out to talk with the Watchers, and guess what? They didn't even tell me what my real name was. Snap out of it, Prince! Don't make another mistake…"
"Char, I… I'm sorry!" Prince yelled back. "I need to do this. This village means something to me, and I did not even know it. I… I'm sorry…"
No! Char cried to himself. No, it's not working! I can't stop him. Just like I couldn't stop Lily on my own. Prince is much stronger than Lily; there's no way I can snap him out of it! I wish… I wish I was strong enough to give him a knock on the head!
WHAM!
The straw wall collapsed under a mighty force, as the Rampardos charged straight through it, the forceful headbutt knocking the wind out of Prince and tossing him clear across the street.
Char ran to him as fast as he could, keeping an eye on the monster. It seemed to still be shaking ember-covered straw from its head, but he knew it would not be distracted for long.
"Prince! It hit you!" Char cried, rushing to the Infernape's aid. "You have the Frozen Flame, how did it hit you?"
"Must be 'mold breaker'," Prince grunted in pain, shamefully climbing back to his feet.
"Huh?"
"I'll explain later, if there's time," Prince replied quickly. "Char, duck."
Without questioning, Char dropped to the beaten dirt ground and flattened his body against it. Wasting no time, Prince scooped his body into his arms and thrust him high into the air. Char's breath was taken away for a moment, and as he flew high above the village road, he witnessed the charging dinosaur returning to engage the Infernape in battle, delivering a brutal body slam. Prince parried the blow to the best of his ability, causing the enemy to stop in its tracks—right beneath Char, who quickly plummeted back down.
Char held his breath and snagged one of the creature's head-spikes, hanging on tight.
Steelix, he thought to himself. Except… made of rocks. Ahh, I will have to use something else!
Charging white energy into his claws, Char pulled himself up just as the beast reared its head high into the air. He slammed his claw down into the beast's blunt cranium. Metal collided with rock, and the Rampardos roared in irritation.
Pow. Prince delivered a solid blow to the beast's chest. However, he soon retracted his fist, looking pained. Char had to wince in sympathy as he saw that the knuckles upon his fist had nearly shattered and were fresh with blood. Prince leaped out of the way as the beast swing its tail around.
Char tried to regain his hold on the beast, charging his energy for another deep scratch to its head. But the beast twisted its body and bucked suddenly, tossing Char back in to the air in a direction he could not comprehend…
Thunk. Char's vision jolted as he hit the side of a vertical stone wall, and panic filled him as he realized he was still falling, and that it was growing dark.
He was falling down the well.
Panicking, he reached out his glowing metallic claws and tried to dig a handhold in the wall, but his claws just slipped off the mossy surface…
Below him, there was water. He could see its reflection in his own firelight.
"PRINNNCE!" he yelled, his desperate voice echoing up the vertical tunnel…
He saw it coming… in a few seconds, he would be plunged deep into the well-water, tail-flame and all…
He bit down on his tongue so hard that it bled, and braced himself for unimaginable agony…
… … …
Thump.
Char landed on a solid floor.
His first thought was, wow, being submerged doesn't feel as painful as I thought it would.
But when he opened his eyes, he saw that the deep, dark well was gone. So was the burning village and the Rampardos.
Instead, they were once replaced by the gloriously beautiful hallows of Temporal Tower. The Mystery Dungeon illusion had simply flickered out, just as it had done once before.
Breathing faster and harder than he thought he was capable of, Char turned to see Prince kneeling behind him, inspecting his own wounds. He licked his knuckles, which were still bleeding profusely.
"Well… that was something," Prince said dryly.
"Did you… remember who the Rampardos was?" Char asked, the only thing he could think of to say at the moment.
Prince coughed. "I do not even care about that anymore," he barked. "Let us get to the relay point before those accursed dungeons return!"
Prince didn't even wait for Char to reply. He snatched Char from the ground and carried him as fast as his legs would carry him to the stairs.
Temporal Tower 13F
Prince rushed Char up the stairs of the eleventh floor, through the empty and uneventful twelfth floor, and emerged triumphantly onto the thirteenth…
As if a blessing from the heavens, there stood a magnificent stone statue in the center of the room; a giant Kangaskhan stared warmly down upon the weary explorers. Though it paled in comparison to the divinely-designed décor Temporal Tower exhibited, this simple statue held a powerful and welcome meaning to the travelers: safety.
And there, under the watchful protection of the giant stone statue, a few Pokémon were sprawled out on the floor, the contents of bags spilled out upon cloths for sorting and consumption.
Ray was the first to notice them.
"They're here!" he exclaimed loudly. "They made it!"
A cheer filled the air, and did not die down anytime soon.
Prince put Char down just in time for the Raichu to tackle him, a joyed relief spread over his face. Saura soon joined him, pressing his forehead tenderly against the Charmander's cheek.
"Char, that was awful!" Ray exclaimed, refusing to let him go. "We got up here without you, and we had no idea if you were dead, or lost, or on your way, or if we should keep on going, or how long we should wait… it was just so awful, I don't even want to think about it anymore! Thank every legendary ever that you're here!"
Char was out of breath and couldn't quite think of how to respond, so he settled with accepting the embrace of his friends and relaxing for once.
"What took you so long?" Scythe's familiar voice barked angrily at Prince.
"Mystery Dungeon came back," Prince said as Lily wrapped him in vines. "Thankfully, the dungeons were relatively easy and we made it out. I believe I need some Sitrus berries, though, if you do not mind…"
"You kept him alive, yet again," Scythe said, looking Prince in the eye and giving a respectful nod. "You have done well."
"And you kept her alive, and the rest;" Prince returned, indicating Lily. "You have my gratitude."
"It was not difficult," Scythe admitted. "We battled only once. There was a Metagross on the eleventh floor. We destroyed it. The rest of the floors were empty."
"Don't do that," Lily cried, squeezing Prince tighter. "You're the one who always told me, always stick together on staircases in dungeons… Please don't do that again."
"I promise, I will not," Prince assured her.
After the warm welcoming, the wayward fire-types sat beneath the shade of the Kangaskhan and feasted on some well-deserved berries to heal their wounds and fill their stomachs. When everyone had their fill, Scythe suggested that the party should sleep for the night before continuing forward.
"Even if the rest of the floors in this tower are empty, we should reach the summit at our best," Scythe proposed. "You should sleep. I will keep watch."
Not a single objection was raised. Even if the Watchers' curse had faded as the floors went by, the following day would involve trekking up at least one thousand stairs, and meeting the creator of time face-to-face. For Char, it would be the single most important day of his life as a Pokémon… at least, thus far.
So, under the vigilant eye of Scythe, and the blessed shelter of the relay point, the weary Pokémon settled down to rest within the safety of the relay point, their minds buzzing with possibilities of what might lay just a dozen floors above them…
… … …
"Char."
A hissed whisper. One that he knew too well.
A blade gently prodding his shoulder.
Char stirred. It took him a minute to remember he was trapped in perhaps the most hostile dungeon on earth, but he knew instantly that his sleep had not been nearly long enough. Rolling onto his back, he saw Scythe standing over him.
"Char, get up," the Scyther silently ordered, his voice no louder than a breath of air. "I need you. Come here."
It dawned on Char…
This was it.
This was the moment Ray had warned him about.
Slowly, silently, Char crawled on the pads of his claws to where Scythe had been keeping watch. There, sitting next to him, was the bag of valuable items which had been granted by Alakazam…
This was the moment. Scythe needed help to finally put his plan into motion.
Char's heart was racing. He knew his tail was flaring, and worried it would somehow raise attention from the sleeping Pokémon. What would Scythe ask of him? What did this plan of his actually entail?
Scythe indicated the bag.
"Char… I need you to pull out the satchel of reviver seeds… and toss them down the stairs to the previous floor."
WHAT?
"DON'T—speak." Scythe hissed. "Prince just fell asleep, and I do not think he will remain unaware for long. You have mere seconds to do this. Please, Char."
Char hesitated.
Throw away—the reviver seeds?
Why…?
Does Scythe realize… what kind of danger that puts us in?
Is he… crazy?
"Char, please," Scythe hissed again, this time with a humiliated, almost begging voice. "If I never ask anything of you ever again… I need you to do this for me. Please, do not betray me…"
"Alright," Char decided, crawling over to the bag and searching through it. "Alright, I will do this for you."
It did not take long to find the small, stuffed pouch of sacred seeds, seeds which had the divine power to cure the worst of ailments, even death itself…
Clenching it tight with shaking claws, he silently shuffled over to the long, long staircase which circled down and around to the twelfth floor…
He yanked the satchel open, and peered inside.
So many… beautiful, golden, indescribably valuable relics were laying there… each one, like a gleaming amber gemstone, full of benevolence and salvation…
And he needed to discard them all.
As he glared down at those precious seeds, Char hesitated one final time.
This was it.
This was the decision that might save him. Or it might destroy him.
It was in his hands.
Did he trust Scythe?
Did Scythe have a good reason to request this of him?
Or was he reduced to a raving lunatic who didn't know what was good for the team anymore?
I can't…
I can't decide…
He squeezed the bag, his sharpened claws almost boring holes into the thick fabric.
No.
No.
Scythe…
I…
I trust you.
But…
But sometimes, you need a little bit of help.
And Daemon isn't here right now.
So it has to be me.
I have to help you!
Clink-clink-clink… one seed rolled down the stairs.
Clink-clink-clink… and the next one.
Clink-clink-clink… their hard, metallic shells ringing like glass as they disappeared from sight, past the barrier between the relay point and the previous floor…
...They were lost forever, or at least until a future exploration team would be lucky enough to find them…
As he watched the seeds go, one-by-one, he managed to produce a strange seed which had lost its golden luster. He realized it was the seed he himself had inadvertently used, right after he had choked to death on a previous floor. The power had evaporated after it had revived him, and the seed had visibly changed…
He threw it out, too.
And he kept throwing them, one by one, until the bag was empty…
…all except for two remaining reviver seeds.
He removed them from the satchel, and tossed the empty satchel down the staircase. It flopped down a couple of stairs before remaining still.
Char held the remaining two reviver seeds, one in each claw…
As he returned to the sleeping team, Scythe eyed him questioningly. Char ignored him, and proceeded over to Saura.
"Saura… wake up."
Saura grumbled and stretched.
"Too… early…" he sighed. "A few more minutes, please?"
Char sighed.
"The fire will never die…"
Saura's eyes blinked open instantly.
"Char? What is it?"
"Here," Char said, presenting him with one of the reviver seeds. "Can you hide this? Maybe in your bulb?"
"W-why?"
"Trust me. Just do it…"
"You do it. Go ahead, there's room in there, I think…"
Saura winced as Char stuffed the reviver seed down between the folds of his bulb, making sure it was fully hidden…
When he turned around to check on the sleeping Pokémon, he was just in time to witness Prince's eyes blink open. They stared right at him.
His breath caught. He clutched the reviver seed tightly.
"Char?" Prince said wearily. "Is that a reviver seed? What are you doing with that?"
"He's holding onto it," Scythe explained, stepping into the conversation. "Since he is the reason we are all here, I told him to get one of the seeds to hold for himself. Because, if you hold a reviver seed on your person, it will not activate for any of the other members of the group except for you."
"Ahh, yes," Prince said with a nod. "Good thinking… How long have we been asleep, do you think?"
"Perhaps two hours," Scythe replied, sending Char a glare that was nearly as deadly as his blades. "Go back to sleep. We still have time."
Char returned to the place he had been sleeping, and clutched the seed as tightly as if it had been a safety-blanket. But he knew he would not be able to sleep anymore. Not now, now that he might have doomed the group to failure, expulsion from the tower, or worse…
And he had a deep, dark, sinking feeling that he had made the wrong choice by trusting Scythe…
… … …
Boom.
Boom.
Boom.
Tremors rocked Temporal Tower. The team jumped awake in unison.
"That sounds like…" Lily said groggily. "That could be…?"
"Dialga?" Char wondered. "Sounds like Dialga is pacing on the summit…"
"Alright, rise and shine, warriors of the Silver Resistance," Prince called, climbing to his feet. "We have an appointment with the god of time, and it sounds as though he is growing impatient. Shake off your sleepiness, we have rested for long enough! Let us be off!"
A vine wormed its way into Char's fist, which was still tightly clenching the reviver seed. He turned to see Saura standing next to him.
"Hey…" Saura said weakly. "Hold my hand?"
… … …
The team roused themselves, packed up, said their prayers to the legendaries, then set out to conquer the stairs of Temporal Spire.
There was no opposition; every floor was empty. But the stairs were so numerous and draining that it took nearly a half hour to climb between every floor.
Soon, they passed Temporal Spire's second floor…
Then the third…
Then the fourth…
And with every passing floor, the tremors increased in volume and intensity. Something was above them, and it was something mighty, and powerful…
The fifth floor passed by…
And the sixth…
And the seventh…
GRRR-OOOOOO! A mighty, primal cry echoed down through the chambers… It sent a sickening chill of fear and excitement into each and every one of them…
When the Pokémon arrived onto the ninth floor, Scythe stopped them for a moment.
"Prepare yourselves," he hissed. "The legendary dragon may be on the next floor."
"Here we go, Char…" Saura whispered. "This is it. Everything… rests on this…"
"I can't believe… we're actually here…" Lily stuttered. "I didn't think we'd really make it… it just doesn't seem like this is happening!"
"Remember, Char… and Saura, too," Ray whispered. "Whatever happens, we got this far, and that's all that matters. From here on out, we're just going to do our best, alright?"
"Alright…" Saura replied. "Thank you."
"The fire will never die…" Ray whispered.
"Until the last ember fades," Char and Saura responded, though with more fear than conviction in their hearts this time.
And thus, the team began the trek up the final staircase. Every single step felt dreadful, as though it were a step towards glory, or towards doom…
Before anyone could believe it, the stairs were no more.
Temporal Spire 10F
And there, standing in the middle of the perfect, dome-shaped room…
No, filling the room…
…stood a majestic blue dragon.
Its body was adorned with sparkling shards of steel, its eyes deep and eternal. Veins of diamond streaked across its glistening hide, and a magnificent gemstone sat planted in its divine chest. Upon its back, there were no wings – as it was powerful enough to fly without them – but instead, there rested a holy plate of metal at the base of its winding tail.
Char was reduced to a whimpering child at the visage of the time god. His claws fumbled and nearly dropped his reviver seed, but Saura's vine gripped hard and held it for him.
Char's only thought, oddly enough, was, Wow, Dialga IS bigger than the statue!"
The great blue dragon bowed its head to the puny mortals… and spoke.
I AM DIALGA, KEEPER OF THE TEMPORAL STREAM, its voice boomed, shaking the room and the hearts of every Pokémon who stood within it. YOU HAVE TRAVELED FAR TO BE HERE. IF YOU WISH TO BESEECH MY INTERVENTION, PROVE YOURSELVES WORTHY. I CHALLENGE YOU TO BATTLE!
Upon hearing those words, Char nearly died right then and there from pure shock.
Battle?
Against Dialga?
How… are we supposed to defeat the creator of time itself… in battle?